The Cork Tree
by punkarthur
Summary: A tale of how music brought old friends and enemies together.
1. Our Lawyer Made Us Change The Name of Th

_Prologue_

**Our Lawyer Made Us Change The Name of This Song So We Wouldn't Get ****Sued**

"Brothers and sisters, put this record down!"

Arthur jumped, startled at the voice that was most definitely not Patrick Stump. His hand hit the stereo that was quietly playing music, knocking it over. The younger boy, Alfred, chuckled and stopped the rolling music player with this foot.

"A-Alfred! What the hell are you doing here? You should be in class, we all know you need it," Arthur questioned, a scowl on his pale face.

Alfred clicked his tongue, pretending to pause and think about his answer. "Well, Artie, shouldn't I be asking you the same thing?"

The blue eyed American grinned down at Arthur, expecting a flustered response. However, he received the opposite. The Briton simply smirked at him, and waved a pass around.

"I have a pass actually. The teacher never showed up," he replied, amused at the other's disappointed face.

"Doesn't matter, what are you doing up here anyway?" Alfred asked, hastily changing the subject.

Arthur raised his significantly large eyebrows. _How is it any of his business? It's not like he cared before... oh. _

He sighed. "What do you need?"

Alfred always came to him when he needed something. Normally it would be some silly prank or help on a missed homework assignment.

He shifted his weight onto one foot, and stared down at Arthur. "I don't need anything. Well... yeah, no."

Alfred hesitated as if he were treading on bad grounds.

"You have to forgive me someday, Artie. We used to be so close! I didn't mean what I said in middle school and you know it—"

"Do I?"

He stood up after he collected his items and trudged down the hill towards the school grounds.

_I __should've __known__._

The brown haired boy was left waiting by the cork tree, eyebrows furrowed in frustration.

"Damn it! You just don't _liste_n!" he yelled at Arthur.

He sat down where his former best friend was, and dialed a number on his smartphone.

"Hey Francis? It's time for Plan B."


	2. Of All the Gin Joints in All the World

_Chapter 1_

**Of All the Gin Joints in All the World**

A few weeks later, specifically October 15th, 2011, Arthur was extremely surprised to see two of his classmates sitting under the cork tree on top of the hill. He tried to change directions before the two spotted him, but it was too late.

"Arthur, mon ami! Where are you hurrying off to? Aren't you coming to sit?" the blond Frenchman called, a hand raised in a wave.

Arthur bowed his head down and sighed before trudging up to the tree. He reluctantly sat down in front, neither near Francis nor Alfred.

"Hello, Francis," he grumbled. The awfully flirtatious teenager smirked.

"Quoi? Are you not happy to see me, old pal?" he questioned. Arthur scoffed.

"As if, you frog!"

Alfred nervously chuckled, and glanced back and forth between the two as they argued. Arthur and Francis were supposedly childhood friends, and although they never got along they somehow always had each other's backs. Unless, of course, they were plotting pranks against the other.

The American boy didn't understand how their friendship worked, when it went against most of Arthur's personality. Arthur never forgave anyone for pranks or was fond of those who insulted and challenged him.

Yet, there they were arguing but with soft smiles.

Francis noticed the slightly jealous look on Alfred's face and stopped midsentence.

"Ah so you're ready to admit that you were wrong?" Arthur asked smugly. Francis looked back at him briefly and rolled his eyes with a shake of the head. He pointed at Alfred's dazed look to which the Englishman frowned.

He reached over to wave a hand in front of his face, and having reached too far ended up falling into Alfred's lap. In the process, he had also managed to elbow the boy in the knee.

Alfred jumped up in shock, knocking into Arthur's face in return. Francis blinked, taking a moment to take in the situation before breaking into a slight chuckle. The chuckle ended up being the cause of a laughter fit that caught the attention of many students.

All three didn't know how the situation seemed so funny at the time. But Francis could never recall a moment that Arthur had genuinely laughed in the last 6 months so it didn't matter.

_A girl with bright green eyes and curly brown hair was walking with her boyfriend of 3 years when laughter interrupted them. She looked up to see the source and smiled fondly at the sight._

_"Well, Roderich would you look at that?" she said, pointing a finger towards the trio. _

_He glanced up, a bit irritated that the obnoxious laughing had stopped their conversation about an upcoming music recital. However, once he noticed where it was coming from he too smiled._

_"I wonder what's so funny."_

_"I don't know, but if it made Arthur laugh then it must have been quite interesting..." she replied. _

_The two stood watching them get along._

_"Hey, Roddy...? Let's go join them at lunch sometime." _


End file.
